The tide is turning against Alex Salmond's dream of Scottish independence

In another small victory for the Unionist cause, the Electoral Commission has rejected Alex Salmond’s proposed question for the imminent referendum on Scotland’s future. Instead of his favoured wording – “Do you agree that Scotland should be an independent country?”, which carries a cynical presumption of consent – the question will be: “Should Scotland be an independent country?” This leaves unstated the fact that the United Kingdom would thereby be ripped apart. But it also avoids weasel words about giving Holyrood permission to open negotiations. When they cast their votes in 2014, Scots will have no doubt about what is at stake.

With the odds on independence lengthening, and the European Union insisting that Scotland would need to renegotiate membership – something Mr Salmond went to desperate lengths to deny – it would seem that the tide is turning against the First Minister. Yet his attempt to dictate the referendum’s terms, and dogged negotiation over the rest of the package approved by the Electoral Commission (which includes identical funding limits for both sides), show the extent to which this wiliest of politicians will do all he can to tilt the playing field in his favour.

Despite the sterling work of Alistair Darling and the Better Together campaign, there is a worrying sense that many Unionists – not least in Scotland’s business elite – are content to take their foot off the pedal, and assume that the vote is as good as won. The same is true in Westminster, where David Cameron and his team have plenty of other issues to distract them. For Mr Salmond, this is his only focus. So those who love the Union must campaign with equal vigour, equal passion and equal cunning – for their goal must be not just to win, but to win so overwhelmingly that it settles the question of separation for good.